A portion of my garden is now in heavy shade that once was all sun. Several lilies planted there 10 years ago need to be moved as their performance has been deteriorating as the shade intensifies. I dug up the first one today Suncrest. Recovered several nice sized bulbs and a whole lot of small ones.
I hope to replant the big ones tomorrow. What should I do with them in the mean time? put them in damp potting mix? or what? I may give some of the small ones away for post; how should I store them till then?
I'm hoping to dig some more tomorrow including Queen Kong and Black Beauty. After those, hopefully Awesome, Sunwolf, and Blood Tiger.
Advise would be most welcome.

Here's what I got this afternoon > Suncrest

Jmorth, wrap queen kong, awesome and blood tiger. Send them to me. Problem solved.

Actually Jack, this is easy, not fussy and almost worry free. I do a lot of rotation of first in-first out commercial stuff every year in my front gardens as well as culling and replanting my hybrid selections every two years. See that cardboard box you have them in already? Use it. I would cover them with moist garden soil straight from the garden if you have soft loamy soil. If not use potting mix to cover them. Do not water and store in a cool dry area away from sun and rain. I typically store bulbs up to 3 to 4 weeks if necessary with ordinary Fall temperatures without any problem whatsoever. The main worry is rodents so be mindful of that.

You said you were going to plant the large bulbs first. Just food for thought. I actually prefer the smaller/medium size younger bulbs because they have the vigor of youth and disease resistance and they just seem to adjust better. I give away the larger older bulbs.

Well, that's how I do it. But I'm getting old, lazy and careless due to too much experience over the years and tend to take short cuts that only I can get away with. I'd love to hear the suggestions of others.

Thanks, Lorn!

Well, often I more lazy than you, Lorn! Short term, up to a week, I just seal them up in a ziplock bag without anything extra at all! With martagons, or any that can have a propensity to "sulk" for the first season, I make sure they are in contact with a moist light soil mix, peat or vermiculite, and try to keep them in relative darkness. I just sent some martagon section lilies to a friend in Indiana, and yes, there was condensation in the bag. Again, this is short term, say, a week.

If you have buckets or large pots without large drain holes you can put them in the bucket, cover with dryish sawdust, peat, bark or potting soil and store out of the sun for quite awhile that way. Pick a mouse-free place.
I could use Queen Kong & Sunwolf if you have any to spare, will pay postage or I can trade some American hybrid seedlings, L. pumilum, L. lankongensi, L. strictum, Awesome seedlings or Lavender Frost seedlings (what I have to move or have in pots.) or some hosta starts if you are looking for something to fill in that shady area.

Thanks for the input.


I've been extracting one variety per day - Queen Kong >


Black Beauty >